Subscribe here: [ Ссылка ] Unfortunately, we did not manage to reach unanimity yesterday. Hungary was unable to support. There is now a new rendezvous early next year. We will use, as a Commission, the time until then to ensure that whatever happens at this next EUCO, we will have an operational solution.
"We are, of course, working very hard to achieve a result where there is agreement among the 27 member states," von der Leyen continued. "But I think that it is now also necessary to work on possible alternatives in order to have an operational solution in the event that an agreement with 27 is not possible unanimously."
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban had not given up his opposition to the release of the 50 billion euros in aid at the summit of the 27 heads of state and government. The negotiations were therefore broken off on Friday night. Another summit is to be held at the beginning of next year.
Orban had initially suggested that the Ukraine aid should not be included in the EU budget, but this did not meet with much approval from the other 26 summit participants. However, resistance to this is crumbling. "It is possible for 26 member states to make the money available on a bilateral basis, not via the multi-year budget," said Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar after the summit. However, this would not be his preferred solution.
EU Council President Charles Michel was "extremely confident and optimistic that we will be able to fulfill our promises to support Ukraine with financial resources". German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also expressed his "confidence that we will reach an agreement in January". Scholz rejected Orban's demand to release the EU funds frozen due to rule of law violations in Hungary in return for giving up his veto. This "cannot be mixed up".
As Hungary opposed the EU's multi-annual financial framework that included 50 billion euros ($55 billion) for Ukraine, the European Commission will ensure an "operational solution" to the issue by the next meeting, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during a press briefing on Dec. 15.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced earlier that he vetoed the funding for Ukraine, even though his abstention from a previous vote allowed an agreement on accession talks with Kyiv.
"We will use – as the Commission – the time until then to ensure that whatever happens at this next EUCO (European Council meeting), we will have an operational solution," von der Leyen pledged during the two-day summit in Brussels.
Von der Leyen commended the Council's decision on the accession talks with Ukraine as a "big investment in democracy that stands tall and united."
The agreement on the accession talks with Kyiv was reached even though Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban labeled it a "bad decision."
European Council President Charles Michel said that 26 EU members supported the multi-annual financial framework, including $55 billion for Ukraine, but could not make a binding decision without the support of the 27th member.
The European Council would convene for a special meeting early next year, likely in late January or early February, to discuss the issue further.
"I am extremely confident and optimistic that we will be in a position to fulfill our promises to support Ukraine," Michel said.
Von der Leyen also commented on the 10.2 billion in EU Cohesion funds ($11 billion) unblocked for Hungary shortly ahead of the summit, stressing that any investment is tied to reforms the receiving country must undertake.
Answering a question on alternative solutions if Hungary does not agree with the proposals by the next summit, von der Leyen said that the bloc works hard to achieve unanimity.
"But... it is also necessary to work on potential alternatives to have an operation solution... if unanimity is not possible," von der Leyen added.
EU leaders said earlier that the bloc is considering possible workarounds if Hungary continues to block further support for Ukraine.
According to von der Leyen, the EU plans to release the last 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) for Ukraine agreed on previously in the coming days, which would help Kyiv finance its needs in early 2024.
The bloc would then focus on getting Hungary on board with the long-term financing or explore alternative solutions, she added.
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